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Swetha Dravida, a student of Tara Anand, performed her Rangapravesam, a Carnatic vocal music debut, at St. Mark’s School, Southborough, MA on June 27, 2009. She was accompanied on the violin by Raghav Balaji, also a student of Tara Anand, and on the mridangam by Dr. Pravin Sitaram. Swetha demonstrated incredible talent by singing beautifully in a wide variety of ragas and talas with a fine sense of sruthi, aesthetics and classicism.

Swetha began by singing Vanajakshi, the ata varna in reethigoula in two speeds. The pace of the concert was set with Namami vigna vinayAka in Hamsadhwani embellished with brisk swaras. Swetha then sang Vasudevacharya’s Brochevarevarura in Khamas with lilting variations in the charana. Swathi Thirunal’s Deva deva kalayami in Mayamalavagoula provided a pleasant contrast in both raga and tala.

The next piece was an awesome rendition of Koteeswara Iyer’s Yedayyagathi in Chalanata. It was handled elegantly and emphasized the sharp shatsruthi ri and da signature notes of the 36 melakartha raga. After an elaborate alapana in Kalyani, Tyagaraja’s Enduko neemanasu took center stage in slow tempo. Swetha’s imaginative swaras included fine phrases leaving out sa and pa, demonstrated tonic shifts and sustained notes in the upper octave, all of which emphasized the scope and grandeur of the raga.

Thaye Tripurasundari in Suddha Saveri made way for the main piece of the concert, the Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Kharaharapriya set to misra triputa tala. As a vina player, I was impressed by the subtle variety of expression and underlying rhythm maintained in the thanam. The pallavi, composed by Prof. T.R. Subramanian was handled with the flair and confidence of a seasoned artiste. Swetha first sang numerous variations in the neraval and followed this by effortless changes in the tempo of the sahitya and tala relative to each other. This marvelous display led to elaborate kalpana swaras that culminated in a ragamalika, which included Vasanthi, Behag, Kapi, Amrithavarshini and Surutti. The pallavi exposition was splendid and I was delighted by Swetha’s mastery of various pallavi techniques.

After the pallavi, Swetha sang Purandara dasa’s Yadhavaraya with great sensitivity and melody. This was followed by Thungatheera in Yamankalyani, Enthamatramuna in brindavani and Mayamalavagoula and Nainanamein in Hindustani lalat. After a thillana in Hamir Kalyani, the concert was concluded auspiciously with Tyagaraja’s mangalam in Sourashtra.

Swetha’s music is classic and highly refined, and rests on the solid foundation of her guru’s immense knowledge, formidable experience and unrelenting dedication to the art and heritage of Carnatic music. Tara Anand has nutured Swetha’s talent through rigorous training, patience and guidance and transformed it into a brilliant gem that Swetha will treasure for many years to come.

Young Raghav’s violin seemed to sing along with Swetha. His alapanas of Mayamalavagoula, Kalyani and Karaharapriya were grand and replete with melody, raga intricacies and imagination. I felt that his Amrithavarshini could have caused it to rain indoors. He was quick to support Swetha with scintillating responses to her neraval and swara singing. Pravin Sitaram encouraged the young artistes through his sensitive and responsive playing. In total, the musical experience was wonderful.

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